“There are times when chocolate can really solve all your problems” Dark chocolate is a perfect food; it is as healthy as it is delicious. Dark, rich, and creamy is one of our most accepted guilty pleasures, so you might be surprised to learn that raw cacao contains more antioxidant flavonoids than red wine, green tea, and blueberries. In just one ounce of dark chocolate, you get the same beneficial plant chemicals as in a cup of brewed black tea. Chocolate can not only revitalize the appearance and texture of our skin, but it can also help protect it from sun damage, lower blood pressure, and increase circulation. It is a chocolate care for the whole body!
“Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world’s perfect food” Dark chocolate contains a high amount of antioxidants, almost twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage and disease by neutralizing free radicals, the odd destructive molecules that act as scavengers in the human body. The antioxidants in cocoa are easily absorbed and are more stable and long-lasting than those found in other foods such as Acai berries, blueberries, dark green vegetables, and legumes. Cocoa is also a source of essential trace elements, minerals and vitamins such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, vitamins A, B1, C, D and E, and various nutrients. For that reason, dark chocolate can impart soothing properties to the skin, diminish the physical signs of aging, absorb ultraviolet light, reduce inflammation, allergens, viruses, and carcinogens, and balance certain hormones in the body.
“And above all… think of chocolate!” Eating dark chocolate provides many notable health benefits. Raw, unprocessed organic cocoa and dark chocolate made with raw, unprocessed organic cocoa are accepted as “healthy chocolate.” Dark chocolate not only has antioxidants that can help lower blood pressure, but it also contains healthy fats like oleic acid; a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil and thought to raise the level of the “good cholesterol” known as HDL. Other beneficial compounds found in cocoa are similar to those found in red wine and may slow cardiovascular disease by preventing the buildup of plaque in our arteries, which can lead to blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. Cocoa also improves the skin’s texture, thickness, hydration, and blood flow.
“I’m not overweight I’m enriched with chocolate” You may also be surprised to learn that dark chocolate can help you lose weight. Dark chocolate is actually a low glycemic food and because it has appetite suppressing properties, cocoa is often added to weight loss products to help control hunger. What about the sugar content? Well, the amount of flavanols in extra dark chocolate it is so high that it makes up for the amount of added sugar. Milk chocolate, on the other hand, will have the opposite effect as the milk in milk chocolate impedes the absorption of antioxidants. The copious amounts of sugar in milk chocolate reduce the benefits of cocoa by promoting inflammation, which in turn leads to tissue breakdown resulting in microscars that eventually become macroscars, often resulting in facial lines and wrinkles.
“Do Not Disturb: Chocolate Fantasy In Progress” Satisfy your chocolate craving with delicious chocolate scents, while melting away dead skin cells, leaving skin glowing and nourished. Dark chocolate face masks are pure and rich in natural ingredients like theobroma oil, commonly known as cocoa butter, and antioxidants. Chocolate face masks not only leave our skin feeling nourished, firm, smooth and deeply hydrated, they also engage the senses.
“Chocolate is not a food, it is a medicine, an antidepressant” Not only are you improving the appearance of our skin, but by using real cocoa with added essential oils, you are reaping aromatic and therapeutic rewards. The use of cocoa in facials can activate the pleasure centers of the brain. Chocolate contains caffeine and two other substances, tyramine and tryptophan, which are converted to dopamine and serotonin, feel-good chemicals that play important roles in our brain’s pleasure and reward mechanisms. Cocoa has also been shown to stimulate the production of endorphins, which imparts a feeling of pleasure. What better way to indulge our chocolate craving without adding calories and still feel sinfully satisfied.
“I never put a chocolate I didn’t like” Cocoa is currently being studied to see if it helps prevent premature aging of the skin due to its high antioxidant content that helps improve circulation, as well as effectively absorbing some harmful UV rays. When healthy dark chocolate is mixed with ingredients like quinine, kojic acid, and licorice extract, it is shown to be helpful in treating pigmentation.
“A day without chocolate is a day without sunshine” Chocolate is a multifaceted food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in every bite. There are four “dosage” recommendations for polyphenol-rich dark chocolate:
- 6.3 g (30 calories) per day, about the size of a bite of Hershey’s Kiss
- 6.7 grams of chocolate a day, the equivalent of a square of chocolate two or three times a week
- no more than 25 grams, or 2.5 squares of dark chocolate, per day
- up to 1 serving (20 g) of dark chocolate every 3 days
All natural (non-dutch) cocoa products vary in dosage depending on the amount of natural cocoa in the product. If you like a hot chocolate with milk or cream, substitute rice milk or soy milk to ensure you’re getting all the benefits of healthy antioxidants in every sip. Cocoa and chocolate should not be considered a substitute for medications prescribed by your doctor.
